The present invention relates to a method and binder for use in the fabrication of metal, ceramic, or intermetallic articles from powder particles.
A binder is commonly mixed with powder to form a feedstock for injection molding. The binder functions as a vehicle which holds the powder in a desired shape until the powder is sintered. Known binders are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,080,846 and 5,043,014. Other known binders are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,047,182; 5,014,763; 4,765,950; 4,661,315; and 2,694,245.
Known binders have been used in conjunction with metal, ceramic, and/or intermetallic powder particles to form cores for casting of molten metals, automotive engine parts, roller bearings, refractories for molten metal industries and chemically resistant parts for chemical industries. In addition, binders have been used with suitable powders to form components for computer disk drive parts, biomedical instruments, and biomedical protheses. It should be understood that binders have been used with suitable powders for forming of many different types of articles and that the present invention is not to be considered as being limited to the use of a binder with any one particular type of powder for the forming of any one particular type of article.